1. Field of the Invention
The invention is related to the field of communications, and in particular, to communication network architectures and services.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prevalence of wireless phones has increased dramatically in recent years. Wireless phones may also be known as mobile phones. Some examples of wireless phones are cell phones and PCS phones. As the number of these types of phones has increased, the ability to reach people at almost any location has also increased. Many people still have non-wireless phones. Some communication systems offer to redirect an incoming call to a non-wireless phone such that the call is routed to a mobile or wireless phone under certain conditions. For example, when a non-wireless phone is not answered within a predetermined number of rings, the call is redirected to a wireless number. Some communication systems redirect the incoming call whenever the wireless phone is turned on. To enable this type of redirection, a class 5 switch may be required. The call may also be required to originate or terminate within the communication system that controls the wireless phone. These requirements are limiting access to this useful feature.
The Local Number Portability (LNP) database is currently used to allow users to keep their phone number when they switch to a different phone service provider or to a different physical location. The way the LNP system works is that there is a national database (called the LNP database) that contains a network address for each phone. When a phone number is called, a phone company looks into the database (called a dip) and retrieves the network address for the called number. Using the network address, the phone company can determine the proper route for the call. When a user changes service providers or physical locations, the LNP database is updated with the network address for their new service provider or new location. By updating the database, a call to the user's phone number will be redirected or routed to the phone that corresponds to the new network address. Currently the LNP database is typically only used when a customer changes service providers or physical locations.
Therefore there is a need for a system and method for redirecting incoming calls using the LNP database.